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Chile con Queso

A creamy Tex-Mex dip made with three cheeses and seasoned ground beef, all in one skillet. It's ready in 15 minutes and thick enough to hold on a chip.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Kristin Maxwell

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 green onions sliced, green and white separated
  • 10 ounce can of Rotel tomatoes (mild or spicy, see notes)
  • 1 ⅓ cup whole milk
  • 8 ounces Velveeta cubed small
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese freshly shredded
  • 1 cup monterey jack cheese freshly shredded
  • Juice of half a lime
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • Optional garnish: Cilantro, finely diced red onion

Instructions

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
    ground beef and tomatoes in a cast iron skillet.
  • Add the flour, minced garlic, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the flour is cooked through and the onions have softened.
  • Stir in the Rotel and milk and bring to a simmer. Add the Velveeta, chili powder, and cumin. Stir until the Velveeta is fully melted and smooth.
    Tomatoes mixed with cream cheese and tomatoes and ground beef with cubes of velveeta.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and monterey jack until melted. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
    Shredded cheese on top of queso.
  • Garnish with the green onion tops and any additional garnishes. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
    Chili con quesa in a skillet surrounded by tortilla chips.

Notes

  • Rotel heat level: Use hot Rotel for spicy queso and mild for a milder dip. This is the easiest way to control the heat.
  • Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch that prevents smooth melting.
  • Add shredded cheese off the heat. Residual warmth melts it without breaking the dip and turning it grainy or oily.
  • Fattier beef: With ground chuck, skip the oil and drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat before adding the flour.
  • Velveeta substitute: Double the oil and flour to 2 tablespoons each, and use 2 cups of freshly shredded melting cheese, added off the heat in handfuls.
  • Make it spicier: Swap the beef for Spanish chorizo (no oil needed), or add a diced jalapeño, a 4 ounce can of green chiles, crushed red pepper, cayenne, or minced chipotle with adobo.
  • Other cheeses: Mexican blend, smoked cheddar, or any smooth melting cheese can replace the cheddar and jack.
  • Keeping it warm: Transfer to a slow cooker on warm and stir every 15 minutes to break up the skin that forms.
  • Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 10 second bursts or in a skillet over medium low heat, stirring and adding a splash of milk to loosen. Freezing is not recommended.

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 419mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1053IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 574mg | Iron: 2mg

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